European Council President Antonio Costa reaches out to Russia to open a communication channel with President Vladimir Putin as part of efforts to help end the war in Ukraine. According to people familiar with the matter, Costa has made contact with the Kremlin with the aim of engaging Putin in discussions about possible ways to conclude the conflict.
A separate report says Costa’s office confirms that brief diplomatic contacts were made with the Kremlin in recent weeks to establish or reopen channels of communication. The outreach is described as groundwork for negotiations on ending the war, with Europe seeking pathways to support talks.
Bloomberg also reports that Costa later addresses the issue with European Union leaders, defending the decision to seek contacts with Moscow. He argues that he is positioned to convey European interests, despite frustrations that may exist regarding diplomatic overtures to Russia.
The reports do not provide further details on the substance of any discussions, the timing of specific contacts, or whether Putin directly responded.
